Position Details
School or Department: College of Social Sciences
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Grade/Band: Grade 6
Hourly rate: £16.56 per hour plus holiday entitlement
Casual contract from: 10/03/2025 - 30/04/2025 (50 hours' work to be carried out flexibly over assignment duration (max 15 hours/week)
Positions available: 1
Advert closing date: Thursday 27th February 2025
If we receive a high volume of applications then we may close this advert early. We recommend that you apply as soon as possible.
Background
High quality transcriptions are an essential input into the process of qualitative data analysis. The Research Associate will support Dr. Rachel Ayrton's project 'Conviviality as relief and resistance: practices of togetherness and belonging,' funded by the Leverhulme Trust, by reviewing transcriptions of data collected in a previous project prior to reanalysis.
The Project
This role will involve checking the transcriptions of a fascinating qualitative data set to ensure high quality verbatim records of the interviews and focus group discussions are provided. The role is within the Institute for Research into Migration and Superdiversity.
Role Summary
Working directly with Dr. Ayrton, this role will involve listening to audio recordings of qualitative interviews and focus group discussions and revising existing transcripts to ensure that they are a verbatim record of the recording. The recordings reflect interactions with South Sudanese people living in the UK discussing national identity and belonging in light of the recent independence of South Sudan (2011) and the devastating impact of civil war and ongoing violence in the country subsequently (2013 onwards). This is highly sensitive data and a thorough understanding of confidentiality is essential.
Main duties
* Initial meeting with Dr Ayrton to clarify the task including an overview of the dataset, progress to date, transcript formatting, key terms, confidentiality expectations, and data sharing arrangements.
* Review interview and focus group recordings and edit transcriptions to ensure a verbatim record of the discussions is retained. This will require simultaneous listening and typing/editing.
* Follow transcription formatting and conventions as directed.
* Assist in data anonymization in all transcriptions and speaker identification for focus group discussion transcriptions.
* Rigorously maintain the confidentiality of the data including in relation to the storage and transfer of data and working practices.
* Liaise with Dr. Ayrton as agreed to raise queries relating to transcription and to provide progress reports.
* Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines.
* Carry out administrative tasks related directly to the delivery of the research.
* Promote equality and value diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
Person Specification
Essential:
* Degree or equivalent in relevant subject area
* Outstanding oral and written English language skills. This role will involve listening to articulate, animated and accented speech recordings and representing it accurately in writing.
* Excellent IT skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Word and fast typing speeds to enable the efficient processing of data.
* Demonstrable understanding of the importance of data quality and rigorous application of transcription conventions; high standards of presentation and attention to detail.
* Deep appreciation of the meaning of confidentiality in the processing and management of sensitive qualitative data.
* Ability to work independently and to seek guidance appropriately.
* Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.
Desirable:
* Experience of qualitative data collection and analysis.
* An interest in research around identity and belonging, diasporas and conflict.
* Knowledge of the South Sudanese context.
Additional information
This role will involve working intimately with a fascinating and varied dataset, including moments of warmth, humour, tension, sadness, hope and despair. The subject matter can be distressing due to the nature of the conflict in South Sudan and the effects that this has had both directly and indirectly on people living in the diaspora. Occasionally participants refer to atrocities that have taken place. The Research Associate must be prepared to process data describing traumatic experiences. Dr. Ayrton will be available to support the Research Associate including planning strategies to mitigate any potential for distress and debriefing at regular intervals.
For any informal queries, please contact Rachel Ayrton (r.ayrton@bham.ac.uk).
Valuing excellence, sustaining investment
We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working.
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